Championship windows don’t stay open forever. The Baltimore Ravens know that. When you have a franchise quarterback in his prime, Lamar Jackson, and a team that’s built to win now, you don’t tinker around the edges. You attack weaknesses head-on. What do you know? One of Baltimore’s most glaring weaknesses heading into this offseason cycle is at edge rusher. This isn’t complicated. This team must find ways to pressure the opposing quarterback. To make matters worse, they’re losing talent at the position this offseason.

Turnover seems inevitable. Dre’Mont Jones, Kyle Van Noy, David Ojabo, Carl Jones, and Brent Urban are all expected to enter free agency. Baltimore loses meaningful snaps if that happens.

Advertisement

Baltimore hasn’t gotten the impact it hoped for from Mike Green, at least not yet. Suddenly, the edge room looks thinner than a contender can afford. That’s where draft theory enters the conversation.

Pro Football Focus fills a glaring Ravens need in a recent 2026 NFL Draft theory.

In Pro Football Focus’ article titled 2026 NFL Draft: Best-Case Scenario for All AFC Teams, Ryan Smith connected the dots representing the Ravens and one of the best edge rushers in the class. Keldric Faulk was a disruptive force on the Auburn Tigers‘ roster.

We recently named him among eight prospects who fit Baltimore’s NFL draft philosophy. He earned Third-Team All-SEC honors last season. Smith’s argument centers on upside and fit. Faulk brings size, length, and scheme versatility. He can line up inside and outside on passing downs. He sets a firm edge against the run and collapses the pocket with power, not just with his speed.

Advertisement

That matters. The Ravens don’t just need a situational rusher. They need a tone-setter. This is the type of prospect Baltimore has quietly coveted for years.

No disrespect is intended. Faulk is the type of prospect they thought they were getting in Mike Green, but don’t give up on the latter yet. Sometimes, it takes a little longer for young prospects to flip the switch.

Faulk is a young and consistent defender who can affect quarterbacks in January. He’s someone offenses have to account for on every snap. He shortens games by forcing mistakes, and for the Ravens, this is a best-case scenario. This allows them to add the right talent at the right time.

If the Ravens are serious about sustaining championship expectations, they can’t rely on patchwork veteran deals to fuel their pass rush. They need a new cornerstone. Drafting Faulk wouldn’t solve every problem overnight, but it would give Baltimore the type of defensive weapon it has long desired.

Advertisement

In the AFC, a conference loaded with elite quarterbacks, that isn’t a luxury. It determines who’s still in the conversation come late in the postseason.

This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Draft theory gives the Ravens the weapon they have long desired